An inclusive, caring environment for students

A Message from Superintendent Shelly Viramontez

The recent events in Charlottesville and other divisive and hate-filled exchanges remind us of the importance of creating an inclusive and caring environment for our students, families and the surrounding community.

Building positive relationships is a key value for us in Campbell Union School District. In fact, preparing our students for successful futures requires that we teach them to be inclusive and to create positive relationships despite perceived differences.

We demonstrate that value through our commitment to inclusion, our intolerance of harassment and bullying of any kind, and our efforts to maintain positive learning environments for everyone in our schools.

In this way, we create:

Better decisions through inclusiveness. We encourage inclusiveness in our decision-making, and benefit from the diverse perspectives of our many advisory committee members;

Greater tolerance and respect for each other. Our employees and students represent diverse ethnicities, languages, and cultures, which we acknowledge as we celebrate what we have in common.

Effective and enduring education for students. The collaboration between our special education and general education staff as they help children gain the skills they will need for success in their lives beyond school.

Celebrating and respecting our diversity is essential to our charge of developing in our young students the empathy, compassion and other skills and knowledge they will need to meet the demands of their future – to ensure they are prepared for the challenges of college and career. It is an awesome responsibility that we take very seriously.

“Diversity is about all of us, and about us having to figure out how to walk through this world together.”(Author Jacqueline Woodson)

Creating successful bilingual and bi-literate leaders is a shared goal among the team at Sherman Oaks. Our collaborative work environment will reward us with respectful critical thinkers who are empowered and knowledgeable leaders who take pride in their accomplishments.